A part or faction of a political party from now on cannot formally do indoor politics like a fully-fledged party as the caretaker government on Monday cancelled its earlier notification that had given factions full party status.

As soon as the charge sheet in the Gatco graft case was submitted, rumours began to go around that the law enforcers were moving to arrest the former BNP and Jamaat ministers charged with graft last night.

Calling for an end to the emergency rules, editors and senior journalists of the print and electronic media yesterday protested against the interference of government and military agencies in the everyday task of the media.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has pressed charges against the son of Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan Shah Alam -- Shafiat Sobhan Sanvir -- and four others in a case filed for killing Humayun Kabir Sabbir, a director of Bashundhara Group in July 2006.

Although Nasir remained in prison since 1998, the infamous Shibir cadre kept a strong grip on the Chittagong underworld through regular contacts with his accomplices by mobile phones and other means in connivance with some corrupt jail staff and police.

The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday directed the government to comply with its earlier order for providing staffs and transports for judicial magistrates as part of completing separation of the judiciary from the executive by May 27.

Editorial

GIVEN our context, marked by the political parties aiming to secure maximum fulfillment of their demands, the interim government in a naturally probing, cautious mode, and the people expectantly awaiting an accelerated journey to democracy, the chief adviser's address to the nation was indeed set against a daunting backdrop.

THE magnitude of the earthquake in China has shocked people everywhere. With reports coming in of 8,500 people, perhaps more, dead and as many as 10,000 others badly injured from a tremor on a Richter scale of 7.8, we can only imagine the terrible destruction that such a disaster can have brought about. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has described it as a major disaster, a view that we fully share. In such circumstances, it becomes the responsibility of the Beijing authorities to go full steam into the job of ensuring the rehabilitation of those affected by the earthquake. It appears, happily for everyone, that such measures have already been taken by the authorities, with the result that the risks of a bigger fallout from the earthquake have been appreciably minimised. This is in contrast to the slow, rather indifferent approach taken by the Myanmar authorities towards tackling the consequences of the recent cyclone in their country.

POLICEMEN in Saudi Arabia have been tearing up work-related documents of Bangladeshi migrant workers in that country. And they have been doing that without any thought to the predicament such action can and will cause to these hapless people. That is impunity of the highest order, especially when you think of the sheer high-handedness of people who are unwilling to abide by norms, by the general standards of civilised behaviour we expect from governments everywhere. And then there are the many instances in which Bengali workers have been and are being mistreated in Malaysia, with really no one to speak up for them.

AMERICANS are glum at the moment. No, I mean really glum. In April, a new poll revealed that 81 percent of the American people believe that the country is on the "wrong track." In the 25 years that pollsters have asked this question, last month's response was by far the most negative. Other polls, asking similar questions, found levels of gloom that were even more alarming, often at 30- and 40-year highs. There are reasons to be pessimistica financial panic and looming recession, a seemingly endless war in Iraq, and the ongoing threat of terrorism. But the facts on the ground -- unemployment numbers, foreclosure rates, deaths from terror attacks -- are simply not dire enough to explain the present atmosphere of malaise.

WHILE the election of a civilian government in Islamabad has been universally welcomed as part of Pakistan's democratic transition, the new government's approach to counterterrorism has evoked misgivings in Washington. Reacting to what is viewed as President Pervez Musharraf's US-backed militarised effort to defeat terrorism, the elected government headed by Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani has sought a more balanced policy, combining force with a "civil dialogue" with misled extremists. Instead of dismissing this as yet another bound-to-fail approach, Washington should be patient and let Gillani recover the legitimacy of Pakistan's counterterrorism policy.

Bangladesh Cricket Board's working committee on Tuesday has decided to take a few more days before finalising the title sponsor for next month's triangular series involving India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The troubles don't seem to abate for the Bangalore Royal Challengers; off-field controversies plagued the bottom-placed side going into the match against Kings XI Punjab, and a nine-wicket mauling in Mohali Monday night leaves the second-most expensive franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) all but out of the semifinals.

Inter Milan midfielder Maniche was the surprise absentee from the Portuguese squad selected by coach Felipe Scolari for the Euro 2008 finals which are being co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland and runs from June 7-29.

Organisers on Tuesday said that Olympics in the Chinese capital, including the ongoing torch relay within the country, would not be affected by the earthquake disaster that has killed thousands of people in Sichuan province.

Mehdi picked up three wickets to fire University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) to a facile 96-run win over Brac University in the Fair Play Twenty20 tournament at the ULAB campus cricket ground in Ramchandrapur yesterday.

A new initiative to pool CSR (corporate social responsibility) funds and channel them to fight poverty has been undertaken by Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI), says a press release.

Against the backdrop of a three-and-half-year high inflation, India's industrial production slumped to 8.1 percent in 2007-08 from 11.6 percent recorded a year prior to that, posing the classical dilemma for the government and the country's central bank: whether to promote growth or rein in spiralling prices.

Islami Bank Foundation (IBF) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) of US$ 4.5 million with Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to operate and administer agricultural component of IDB programme for the cyclone Sidr victims in Bangladesh.

Abdul Khaleque, 60, a wholesaler in the old Dhaka's Chawkbazar area, now feels more safe and comfortable to bank. Because it has become so easy that he does not even need to take the trouble to remain present at his bank in person to have an access to banking.

The politicians should reach a consensus on some reform issues within their parties -- such as no leaders can be elected president or secretary general for more than two terms, speakers at a roundtable said yesterday.

Former chief justice Syed JR Modassir Hossain at a seminar yesterday said development of a country as well as a society is not possible if rights and responsibilities of women are not distributed properly.

The authorities of Universal Garments of Pacific Jeans at Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) yesterday morning shut down the sewing section of the factory following illness of two of its workers due to ghost scare .

National Law School (NLS)-B1 team of Bangalore, India, emerged as the champion while NLS-B3 team became the runner-up at the 15th All Asian Inter-Varsity Debating Championship 2008 that ended in the capital yesterday.

Seven students of Dhaka University (DU) yesterday demanded the withdrawal of the only case which was not withdrawn when they were released from jail in January this year in connection with the last year's August campus violence.

Grameen Healthcare Trust and Saudi-German Hospital Group (SGHG) of Saudi Arabia yesterday signed a cooperation agreement for establishment of a trust to build social business hospitals which will bring health services to the country's poor and disadvantaged people, says a press release.

Police sent a letter to the US Embassy in Dhaka two days ago seeking details of US citizen Joybunnessa who fled away leaving 105 kilograms of illegal drugs at Zia International Airport (ZIA) on April 27.

Dhaka University (DU) unit of the National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Port yesterday burnt effigy of Dr M Tamim, special assistant to chief adviser, accusing him of handing over national mineral resource to foreign companies.

The High Court yesterday issued a contempt rule against four senior government officials, including Abdur Rashid Sarker, secretary to the jute ministry, for violating a court order regarding Aleem Jute Mills in Khulna.

Teachers and students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU), members of Save the Environment Movement, and Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA) jointly organised a seat-in protest programme yesterday protesting the plan of erecting a building in a research plot of the Horticulture department of the university, says a press release.

Twenty-three hardened outlaws and gang leaders in Kushtia and Chuadanga are yet to be netted despite all out attempts by law enforcers including announcement of bounty for their arrest three years ago.

Several hundred cadres of Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) including outsiders staged a show of strength on Rajshahi University campus, hunting for Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activists who on Monday beat a Shibir leader at Shahidullah arts building.

As Sylhet city BNP chief Ariful Haque Chowdhury fell sick in the courtroom, the judge adjourned deposition of the prosecution witnesses in the case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission against him yesterday.

Letters

Our long-term national development projects, especially the one for energy and mineral deposits, have not been planned on regional basis--the northern districts are less developed than the South and SE. Is the extraction of coal in the North being deliberately delayed by vested groups? The record of the political regimes since 1991 has been dismal (too much lobbying through the backdoors).

Cyclones are always devastating. They create havoc over the areas they pass throughdestroying houses, trees, cornfields and killing hundreds of thousands-- a dark scar in the socio-economic condition of the people of those areas which takes time to heal.

The insurrection of the radical Islamists to protest the new Women's Development Policy has disappointed me extremely as I viewed the violent agitation as an impediment to the general progression of our society. It's regrettable to see that when the entire civilized world is prepared to uphold the principles of equal rights for women by giving up the egregious practices of gender discrimination, a few mullahs are raising voices against it in a country where the establishment of women's rights is absolutely imperative for the general socio-economic development.

The world is going to face an acute food crisis as the production of food grain is not adequate to feed the population. Because of the shortage of food the third world countries may face a famine-like situation. Shrinkage of arable land, erratic weather pattern, desertification --these are some of the factors that contribute to the crisis.

Last week, I faced a very difficult situation on my way to Khulna from Dhaka. My bus reached Paturia ferry ghat and it needed more than six hours to cross the Padma river in a ferry. That's why I missed my class test and attendance.

The CTG and the people behind them are trying to give an idea to the nation that politicians and student politics had created all the economic and political problems of the country. This might be a clever distraction and may not be the whole truth! Our constitution is not working from 1975 onwards and we know the consequences of that.

Generally speaking, individuals themselves may not be able to take any significant steps about resisting the great threat of global climate change on health. Therefore, in this case, as in many other cases, the national and international policy-makers should think globally and act locally and there is only one suggestion for facing such problems: seek divine mercy.

It was reported in The Daily Star on May 01, 2008 that a total of 201 white panel teachers of Dhaka University (DU) demanded immediate release of the detained former prime minister Khaleda Zia and other political leaders. In that statement DU teachers said "Reconstitution of the Election Commission (EC), withdrawal of emergency and, above all, holding of the parliamentary election are needed for the welfare of the nation".

The methods and practices of corruption (used in a wider sense) in Bangladesh have apparently been undergoing changes in qualitative, quantitative and other terms, besides the continuation of old methods and practices - where feasible - relative to time space and other variables. The questions now are: Are those developments in the domain of corruption being triggered and guided by the doctrine of necessity or the principle of survival of the fittest (in a sense) or a change in the phase of corruption cycle or otherwise - under the present day changed circumstances? Will those developments lead to eventual repositioning of corruption - as a modified product with a new look - in the market of Bangladesh and elsewhere? What will be the future of corruption and anti-corruption in Bangladesh, per se?

We the small land owners owning property up to 10 katha in Dhaka city were very hopeful after the declaration published in the national dailies dated 28th march,2008 by the ministry of housing and public works that the government had accepted in principle the idea of allowing the small land owners to build houses after giving up 30% instead of 40% of the total land area for the sake of creating better environment in this mega city.

I wrote various letters in your daily in the recent past scientifically queering the 'blind bandwagon following' of climate change adherents and the purported perils facing the world and Bangladesh from climatologists and economists.

The most debated issue is electoral boundaries reshaped by the Election Commission. Last night we had the opportunity to hear a former BNP lawmaker and a retired bureaucrat in gp-t-matra. DS has published an editorial promoting the idea to look at it from demographic consideration and arrive at an acceptable agreed solution.

I have read your editorial regarding global food crisis. But I think we should think about our food crisis, rather than global food crisis. Our main food is rice, not potatoes or bread. The main reason behind the food price hike, especially rice, is the irresponsible behaviour of the businessmen. Our businessmen are trying to be as non corporative as possible with the present non-elected government. The situation of our business field has always been bad. There is a lot of “middlemanship” in our present business. Businessmen can do anything with the price rate of their products, especially food products because they are united. I know the present government has imposed some impractical decisions which have gone against the interests of businessmen but that doesn't mean they have every right to do whatever they like. Our businessmen should import some “limited sense of humanity” for themselves.

Well, one fine morning, Thursday, May 1, 2008 through the daily Prothom Alo, we came to know out of the blue that one hundred and thirty-three constituencies had been reformed. We understand a constituency can be changed for many reasons. There may be rationale for administrative account or may be for transportation or agricultural block development or anything else which are beyond the discernment of general people like me. But one thing comes to my mind that the Election Commission has just finished their pre-discussion meetings with different political parties, and arguably they got the opportunity to share their idea about constituency reformation. If they shared their views regarding this reformation there should be no objection from the political parties, while they publicly published it. But we know the situation is completely different as just after the publication of the new constituency definition, the Awami League, a large political party, rejected the new constituency reformation. Some other parties also raised objections. Now the question arises as to why the Awami League does not agree with the reformation. Do they find it some kind of gerrymandering? If so, gerrymandering for whose benefit and against whom? Why the EC is silent?

International

The United Nations said yesterday that only a tiny portion of international aid needed for Myanmar's cyclone victims is making it into the country, amid reports that the military regime is hoarding good-quality foreign aid for itself and doling out rotten food.

At least 40 percent of those killed in Myanmar's cyclone were children and hundreds more have lost their parents, a leading charity said yesterday, as the UN warned young victims now face further trauma.

Arts & Entertainment

Young entrepreneur Syed Zakir Ahmed Rony stepped into the world of acting when his friend, TV play director Ananta Hira, offered him a role in one of his productions. The play was never aired, but Rony's acting career did take off. He made his debut in a TV serial Mohona, aired on ATN Bangla in 2005. The Daily Star recently caught up with this upcoming actor.

Andaleeb Preema has recently returned from the international art residency programme at Kompeung, Chiang Mai, in Thailand. "This is one of the popular residency programme and so I applied for it," says Andaleeb. "The reason why I like to attend such programmes is that if I stay in Dhaka and work, my feelings and emotions become stereotyped. If I remain in one place for too long I sense a lack of creativity. The diverse cultures and customs and the varied environment inspire me. In the last seven years the art scenario has changed a lot and is not confined to the canvas any more."

On the occasion of Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore's 147th birth anniversary, different organisations and institutions arranged programmes in Sylhet recently. These included discussions, music, dance and more.

OP-ED

IMAGINE a hypothetical situation: a few thousand candidates are appearing in an examination conducted by the Pubic Service Commission to select a suitable candidate for the post of the chief executive of the country, the prime minister or the president. The successful candidates appear for the viva voce examination and the best candidate is selected for the post of the president or the prime minister, the chief executive. The scenario is ludicrous, not because it is illogical but because it is not seen anywhere in the world.

RESIDENTS of Dhaka city, and others across the country, see daily lines of hundreds of people in fixed price shops in various neighbourhoods. Being lucky enough to still be insulated from food inflation, I ventured into one of the shops to obtain first hand information.

ALTHOUGH the balance of power in Asia is stable, the balance of influence is shifting in favour of China. Will China's rising influence translate into political domination, forcing Asians to choose between Beijing and Washington and undermining their national autonomy? Can the United States accommodate China's legitimate interests and compete peacefully for influence? What can other Asians do to recapture lagging US attention and ensure a stable, peaceful and prosperous environment?

WESTERNERS reacted with outrage to my claim that Asian dumb criminals were dumber than American dumb criminals. I got a large number of reader emails, both of which insisted that US thieves were stupider. One said they were "the dumbest in the world bar none." I hadn't realised what a matter of pride this was. Ownership of this title is clearly among the most deeply held beliefs of intellectual Americans.

As water supply situation is worsening, house owners in many areas of the city are violating Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) regulation that bans use of pumps to draw water from the supply pipe.

The new rules for residential hotel boarders that will make it mandatory for them to provide personal information in a prescribed form may cause hassles for the boarders, say both lodgers and hoteliers in the city.

Fifteen years after the inception of Shegunbagicha box culvert, a 2.88km channel from Shegunbagicha to Kamalapur railway culvert, the Drainage Department of Dhaka Wasa has begun the renovation work of the channel to check water-logging in a vast area.